Kandyce Ormes-Ripley began her journey with Buckner as a volunteer in an orphanage in Russia. She later joined Buckner Children and Family Services in Aug. 2009 as a Life Skills Specialist. Kandyce was promoted to Manager of Organizational Effectiveness in 2010 and promoted again to Manager of Performance in 2012. She was promoted to Manager of Quality and Peformance in 2014 followed by another promotion in 2015 to Manager of Program Monitoring.

Kandyce continued to develop her skills which led to her promotion to Project Manager of Operational Analytics Improvement in Jan. 2017. In June 2017, she was promoted to Director of Program Design and in 2020, she was promoted again to Senior Director of Program Development and Design.

Kandyce graduated with a doctorate in Learning and Organization Change Management from Baylor University in May 2023. She holds a Master of Business Administration from LeTourneau University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in human resources and family studies from East Texas Baptist University. She earned a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification in 2012 and Certified Green Belt, Quality Assurance/Six Sigma in 2013, both from Purdue University. In 2015, she earned certifications from Inside NGO in Project Management for Development Professionals, Level 1 and 2, Non-Profit/Public/Organization.

Kandyce and her husband Derek have two fur babies, Gracie and Ranger.